Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly toured Egypt's largest gold mining operation at Sukari in the Marsa Alam area on Thursday, following a meeting with executives of AngloGold Ashanti, the mine's new investor. The site visit follows AngloGold Ashanti's recent entry into Sukari, which is jointly operated with Centamin Plc and holds an estimated 6.2 million ounces of proven gold reserves. The company is currently working to confirm an additional 4.3 million ounces, potentially boosting the mine's long-term output and strategic value. The visit included a review of the mine's advanced control and surveillance systems, as well as an inspection of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitoring room, where the delegation was briefed on the site's security protocols. During the tour, Prime Minister Madbouly reviewed the mine's operations and security infrastructure, including its closed-circuit monitoring systems and production control rooms. He later inspected the open-pit mining operations and gold processing facility, where ore is crushed, ground, treated with cyanide, and refined. He then led an extensive field visit to observe the stages of gold ore production. The process begins with classifying the ore based on gold content, followed by crushing and grinding. The concentrated ore is then separated, reground, and treated with cyanide to extract gold. The prime minister also inspected the open-pit mining operations and the gold extraction plant, where he was briefed on ongoing developments. During the tour, Ahmed Ghali, Surface Mining Manager, explained the stages of open-pit production. The process starts with drilling to identify ore locations, allowing for better blending at the crusher. This is followed by blast hole drilling and controlled detonations using specialised explosives. The fragmented rock is then transported using heavy machinery to crushers or storage areas for further processing. Sukari Gold Mine operations Sukari currently holds confirmed reserves of approximately 6.2 million ounces and is considered one of Egypt's most significant mines given the mining methods that have increased both reserves and output. AngloGold Ashanti is carrying out further development work to confirm an additional 4.3 million ounces in reserves, which would further enhance the mine's value. In 2024, Sukari produced around 454,000 ounces. Officials noted that AngloGold Ashanti is fully financing the required investments to support production targets, while also contributing to job creation and mining-related services. The mine currently provides around 4,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Y.Yasser
